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| Potter County, Pennsylvania | |
 Potter County Courthouse
| |
 Location in the state of Pennsylvania | |
 Pennsylvania's location in the U.S. | |
| Founded | September 1, 1826 |
|---|---|
| Named for | James Potter |
| Seat | Coudersport |
| Largest borough | Coudersport |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,082 sq mi (2,802 km²) 1,081 sq mi (2,800 km²) 0.2 sq mi (1 km²), 0.02% |
| Population - (2020) - Density |
16,396  16/sq mi (6/km²) |
| Congressional district | 12th |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | https://visitpottertioga.com/ |
Potter County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,396,[1] making it the fifth-least populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Coudersport.[2] The county was created in 1804 and later organized in 1836.[3] It is named after James Potter, who was a general from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Due to its remoteness and natural environment, it has been nicknamed “God's Country.” [4][5][6][7][8][9]
Potter County is located in the Allegheny Plateau and Susquehanna Valley region.
History[]
Major Isaac Lyman, an American Revolutionary war veteran was one of the first permanent settlers in Potter County. Major Lyman is recognized as the founder of Potter County. He was paid ten dollars for each settler he convinced to move to Potter County. He built his home in 1809 in nearby Lymansville, now known as Ladona, just east of Coudersport along Rt. 6. Major Lyman also built the first road to cross Potter County and Potter County's first sawmill and gristmill.[10]
Lyman had a colorful personal history. After the death in childbirth of his first wife, Sally Edgecombe, he remarried; later he left his second wife and started a third family in Potter County. The second Mrs. Lyman was determined not to suffer on her own. She sought out the Major, travelling from Bolton Landing, New York to Potter County with the help of their son, Burrell, who was 18 at the time. Major Lyman lived with these two families in Potter County. Historical accounts of the living situation vary. Some say that Lyman kept both wives under one roof. Others state that there were two log homes for the families on the same piece of property. Descendants of Major Isaac Lyman's three families still live and work in Potter County.
Geography[]
Welcome sign to Potter County
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,082 square miles (2,800 km2), of which 1,081 square miles (2,800 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.02%) is water.[11]
Three major watersheds meet, forming a triple divide, in Potter County: the watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay, St. Lawrence River, and Mississippi River. Moreover, the main stem by volume of the entire Mississippi river system, the Allegheny River, has its source in central Potter County, near Cobb Hill.
Potter has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Coudersport range from 22.0 °F in January to 66.4 °F in July. [1]
Adjacent counties[]
- Allegany County, New York (north)
- Steuben County, New York (northeast)
- Tioga County (east)
- Lycoming County (southeast)
- Clinton County (south)
- Cameron County (southwest)
- McKean County (west)
Major highways[]
US 6- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 44]]
- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 49]]
- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 144]]
- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 155]]
- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 244]]
- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 449]]
- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 607]]
- [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 872]]
Demographics[]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 29 | ||
| 1820 | 186 | 541.4% | |
| 1830 | 1,265 | 580.1% | |
| 1840 | 3,371 | 166.5% | |
| 1850 | 6,048 | 79.4% | |
| 1860 | 11,470 | 89.6% | |
| 1870 | 11,265 | −1.8% | |
| 1880 | 13,797 | 22.5% | |
| 1890 | 22,778 | 65.1% | |
| 1900 | 30,621 | 34.4% | |
| 1910 | 29,729 | −2.9% | |
| 1920 | 21,089 | −29.1% | |
| 1930 | 17,489 | −17.1% | |
| 1940 | 18,201 | 4.1% | |
| 1950 | 16,810 | −7.6% | |
| 1960 | 16,483 | −1.9% | |
| 1970 | 16,395 | −0.5% | |
| 1980 | 17,726 | 8.1% | |
| 1990 | 16,717 | −5.7% | |
| 2000 | 18,080 | 8.2% | |
| 2010 | 17,457 | −3.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14] 1990–2000[15] 2010–2020[1] 2010-2020[16] | |||
As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 18,080 people, 7,005 households, and 5,001 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile (6/km2). There were 12,159 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.06% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 27.3% were of English, 26.9% were of German, 9.9% Irish and 5.8% Italian ancestry.
There were 7,005 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.02.
In Potter County, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.
2020 Census[]
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 15,494 | 94.5% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 43 | 0.26% |
| Native American (NH) | 25 | 0.15% |
| Asian (NH) | 69 | 0.42% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 0 | 0% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 518 | 3.16% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 247 | 1.5% |
Politics and Government[]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 7,239 | 79.68% | 1,726 | 19.00% | 120 | 1.32% |
| 2016 | 6,251 | 79.49% | 1,302 | 16.56% | 311 | 3.95% |
| 2012 | 5,231 | 71.86% | 1,897 | 26.06% | 151 | 2.07% |
| 2008 | 5,109 | 67.66% | 2,300 | 30.46% | 142 | 1.88% |
| 2004 | 5,640 | 70.84% | 2,268 | 28.49% | 54 | 0.68% |
| 2000 | 4,858 | 68.48% | 2,037 | 28.71% | 199 | 2.81% |
| 1996 | 3,714 | 54.48% | 2,146 | 31.48% | 957 | 14.04% |
| 1992 | 3,452 | 49.01% | 1,892 | 26.86% | 1,700 | 24.13% |
| 1988 | 4,432 | 67.23% | 2,119 | 32.15% | 41 | 0.62% |
| 1984 | 5,164 | 73.94% | 1,789 | 25.62% | 31 | 0.44% |
| 1980 | 4,073 | 61.07% | 2,299 | 34.47% | 297 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | 3,828 | 55.55% | 2,983 | 43.29% | 80 | 1.16% |
| 1972 | 4,422 | 70.91% | 1,710 | 27.42% | 104 | 1.67% |
| 1968 | 4,019 | 63.40% | 1,860 | 29.34% | 460 | 7.26% |
| 1964 | 3,232 | 46.78% | 3,652 | 52.86% | 25 | 0.36% |
| 1960 | 5,099 | 65.12% | 2,715 | 34.67% | 16 | 0.20% |
| 1956 | 5,181 | 69.45% | 2,257 | 30.25% | 22 | 0.29% |
| 1952 | 5,117 | 71.78% | 1,974 | 27.69% | 38 | 0.53% |
| 1948 | 3,672 | 67.99% | 1,729 | 32.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 4,474 | 69.86% | 1,894 | 29.58% | 36 | 0.56% |
| 1940 | 5,205 | 65.36% | 2,731 | 34.30% | 27 | 0.34% |
| 1936 | 5,172 | 57.94% | 3,553 | 39.81% | 201 | 2.25% |
| 1932 | 3,847 | 58.53% | 2,271 | 34.55% | 455 | 6.92% |
| 1928 | 5,653 | 79.50% | 1,416 | 19.91% | 42 | 0.59% |
| 1924 | 4,087 | 65.49% | 1,161 | 18.60% | 993 | 15.91% |
| 1920 | 4,036 | 70.19% | 1,106 | 19.23% | 608 | 10.57% |
| 1916 | 2,386 | 52.54% | 1,733 | 38.16% | 422 | 9.29% |
| 1912 | 850 | 18.17% | 1,445 | 30.88% | 2,384 | 50.95% |
| 1908 | 3,603 | 60.47% | 1,932 | 32.43% | 423 | 7.10% |
| 1904 | 3,976 | 70.15% | 1,074 | 18.95% | 618 | 10.90% |
| 1900 | 3,224 | 56.29% | 2,147 | 37.49% | 356 | 6.22% |
| 1896 | 3,281 | 55.83% | 2,446 | 41.62% | 150 | 2.55% |
| 1892 | 2,315 | 46.91% | 1,699 | 34.43% | 921 | 18.66% |
| 1888 | 2,570 | 55.68% | 1,692 | 36.66% | 354 | 7.67% |
| 1884 | 1,990 | 54.72% | 1,363 | 37.48% | 284 | 7.81% |
| 1880 | 1,773 | 56.00% | 1,134 | 35.82% | 259 | 8.18% |
Politics and elections[]
Potter County is one of the most Republican counties in Pennsylvania. In 2004, George W. Bush received 5,640 votes (71%) to 2,268 votes (29%) for John Kerry. The county has voted for the Republican in every presidential election since 1964. In 2006, Rick Santorum received 3,476 votes (63%) to 2,012 votes (37%) for Bob Casey, Jr., making it Santorum's strongest county in his defeat. Lynn Swann also received more than 60% of the Potter County vote in his defeat. In 2016, Donald Trump and Pat Toomey were overwhelmingly elected in Potter County for the U.S. presidential election and U.S. Senate election respectively. Trump won 80.31% of the vote over Hillary Clinton while Toomey won 77.79% of the vote over Katie McGinty. In the 2016 State Attorney General race, John Rafferty won 79.15% of the vote.[20]
Voter Registration[]
As of February 21, 2022, there are 10,961 registered voters in Potter County.[21]
Chart of Voter Registration
- Democratic: 2,093 (19.09%)
- Republican: 7,622 (69.54%)
- Independent: 915 (8.35%)
- Third Party: 331 (3.02%)
State Senate[22][]
- Cris Dush, Republican, Pennsylvania's 25th Senatorial District
State House of Representatives[22][]
- Martin T. Causer, Republican, Pennsylvania's 67th Representative District
- Clinton D. Owlett, Republican, Pennsylvania's 68th Representative District
United States House of Representatives[]
- Fred Keller, Republican, Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
United States Senate[]
- Pat Toomey, Republican
- Bob Casey, Jr., Democrat
Local government[]
Potter County constitutes Judicial District 55 in the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.[23] The Court of Common Pleas for District 55 is located in Coudersport, and staffed by a single judge, President Judge Stephen P.B. Minor.[24] Since about 2001, Potter County's Court of Common Pleas has become a center for filing no-fault divorces in Pennsylvania, most of which do not involve any Potter County residents. Under Pennsylvania's unusual venue rules, divorce cases involving a Pennsylvania resident may be filed anywhere in the state so long as neither party objects. As of 2009, the over 6,000 divorces filed per year in Potter County raised several hundred thousand dollars in revenue for the county's general fund.[25]
Education[]
Map of Potter County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts
Public school districts[]
- Austin Area School District
- Coudersport Area School District
- Galeton Area School District (also in Tioga County)
- Keystone Central School District (also in Clinton County)
- Northern Potter School District
- Oswayo Valley School District (also in McKean County)
- Port Allegany School District (also in McKean County)
Private schools[]
- Chestnut Ridge School, Genesee, Grades 1–8
- Hebron Center Christian School, Coudersport, Grades PK-12
- Meadow View School, Genesee, Grades 1–8
- Musto Hollow Amish School, Genesee, Grades 1–8
- Penn-York Camp & Retreat Center, Ulysses
- Ulysses Amish School, Ulysses, Grades 1–8
List from National Center for Education Statistics[26]
Libraries[]
- Coudersport Public Library [2]
- Galeton Public Library [3]
- Genesee Area Library [4]
- Oswayo Valley Memorial Library, Shinglehouse [5]
- Ulysses Library Association [6]
- Potter-Tioga County Library System, Coudersport
Pennsylvania EdNA – Educational Entities, 2013
Recreation[]
Lyman Lake at Lyman Run State Park
Potter County is home to 8 state parks and many more acres of state forest and gamelands.
- Cherry Springs State Park
- Denton Hill State Park
- Lyman Run State Park
- Ole Bull State Park
- Patterson State Park
- Prouty Place State Park
- Sinnemahoning State Park parts in Cameron County
- Sizerville State Park parts in Cameron County
The county is also the location of the annual "God's Country Marathon" race between Galeton and Coudersport.
Communities[]
Map of Potter County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Potter County:
Boroughs[]
- Austin
- Coudersport (county seat)
- Galeton
- Oswayo
- Shinglehouse
- Ulysses
Townships[]
- Abbott
- Allegany
- Bingham
- Clara
- Eulalia
- Genesee
- Harrison
- Hebron
- Hector
- Homer
- Keating
- Oswayo
- Pike
- Pleasant Valley
- Portage
- Roulette
- Sharon
- Stewardson
- Summit
- Sweden
- Sylvania
- Ulysses
- West Branch
- Wharton
Census-designated places[]
- Roulette
- Sweden Valley
Unincorporated communities[]
- Cross Fork
- East Fork Road
- Elmer
- Mills
Road district (defunct)[]
- East Fork Road was a former district which dissolved on January 1, 2004. The district contained only one road and 14 residents, with almost all of the district's land claimed as part of the Susquehannock State Forest. The territory that constituted the East Fork Road District is now the eastern half of Wharton Township.
Population ranking[]
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Potter County.[27]
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Coudersport | Borough | 2,546 |
| 2 | Galeton | Borough | 1,149 |
| 3 | Shinglehouse | Borough | 1,127 |
| 4 | Roulette | CDP | 779 |
| 5 | Ulysses | Borough | 621 |
| 6 | Austin | Borough | 562 |
| 7 | Sweden Valley | CDP | 223 |
| 8 | Oswayo | Borough | 139 |
See also[]
- Austin Dam (until 1911 failure, and afterward until 1942 failure) (in Pennsylvania in the US)
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Potter County, Pennsylvania
References[]
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42105.html.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx.
- ^ "Pennsylvania: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library. 2008. http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/PA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm.
- ^ Zoe Daniel & Emily Olson (2019). "Nazis, Ku Klux Klan fliers and a dog named Adolf: Is this small US town a hotbed for white nationalism?". ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-07/potter-county-residents-decry-the-neo-nazi-next-door/11243672.
- ^ Dennis B. Roddy (2002). "Aryan Nation shares its message of hate". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. https://old.post-gazette.com/nation/20020728arayans2.asp.
- ^ "About August Kreis". Southern Poverty Law Center. https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/august-kreis.
- ^ "Aryan Nation shares its message of hate". Cult Education Institute (originally in the Arizona Republic). 2001. https://culteducation.com/group/824-aryan.../2083-aryan-nation-seeks-revival-s.html.
- ^ Alex Davis (2016). "Neo-Nazi group plans event in Potter County". The Bradford Era. http://www.bradfordera.com/.../article_3c6dc492-585a-11e6-9d59-ff42f0cffbc5.html.
- ^ Susan Koomar (2001). "Former Bangor neo-Nazi setting up camp in Potter County". Pocono Record. https://www.poconorecord.com/article/20011006/news/310069990.
- ^ Major Lyman Founder of Potter County
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_42.txt.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/pa190090.txt.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf.
- ^ "Census 2020". https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/pottercountypennsylvania/PST045219.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Potter County, Pennsylvania". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Potter%20County,%20Pennsylvania&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Elections – County Results". http://www.electionreturns.pa.gov/ENR_New/General/CountyResults?countyName=POTTER&ElectionID=undefined&ElectionType=G&IsActive=undefined.
- ^ "Voter registration statistics by county". Dos.state.pa.us. https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Documents/currentvotestats.xls.
- ^ a b Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Find Your Legislator" (in en). http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/county_list.cfm?CNTYLIST=Potter.
- ^ "Judicial Districts". Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. http://www.pacourts.us/courts/courts-of-common-pleas/judicial-districts.
- ^ "Judge's Chambers". Potter County, Pa.. http://www.pottercountypa.net/post.php?pid=17.
- ^ ""Untying the knot" in Potter, Cameron Counties". EndeavorNews. June 20, 2009. http://www.endeavornews.com/news/2009-06-20/front_page/006.html.
- ^ ies, National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, Private School Universe Survey 2008
- ^ Promotions, Center for New Media and. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census". https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html.
External links[]
- PotterCountyPa.net
- Open Access edition of Victor L. Beebe's 1934 History of Potter County Pennsylvania at the Penn State University Library website
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